The dark secret
by koese
Summary: Sometimes the end is only the beginning. How far will the 17 year old Marie go to save her younger brother? Will she withstand the horrors in Brennenburg Castle that her uncle Alexander has planned for her?
1. Chapter 1

Hey everyone!

This is my first story on Fanfiction.  
As you might notice in the story below, i am not a native speaker.  
I can certainly write better in german, so if anyone wants to read my german storys, don't hesitate to message me :). It would really help me improve and learn, if you would tell me if I made like really terrible mistakes. I would be really grateful.

Hope you enjoy it.

'till then

So many good things I have told  
But still I am too cold  
Maybe I'll get better when I grow older  
But it could be, that I get even colder  
Never be able to love, to feel  
My heart locked with a thick seal  
No one knows what goes on inside me  
They only see what they want me to be  
My whole life has been a lie  
Maybe it would be better for everyone if I could just die  
Leave this world like a small fly  
Forget all the friendships I was supposed to tie  
Laughing at death with a mere smile  
Hoping to get a better life meanwhile  
In my last seconds looking at the many little scars  
Shaped on my arms like iron bars  
I don't want to go through tomorrow  
I can't stand all the sorrow  
I'm lost in this ever going mace  
No one knows what comes next  
It isn't written in a book or a text  
I don't know if should better turn left or right  
No matter which, for me it will always be night  
Life is like a game  
Sometimes funny, interesting or just lame  
When I think about my life I get sick  
What would have been if I hadn't been a dick  
But I guess it's late now  
So many hopeless dreams wash over me  
From things that will never be  
let mercy wash away what I've done  
let it take away the agony  
I would like to say goodbye, earth, and goodbye  
You've just been a big excuse of a lie

_The loud crack of her broken arm echoed through the school hallway as she touched the hard ground. A loud scream escaped from her mouth and she only heard the loud laughter of the boy in her pain. The boy, the cause for her agony. The girl was crying uncontrollably and tears smeared her flushed face. A teacher peeked into the corridor, from her classroom and then ran towards them, concerned about the fallen girl. The petite young child with her 6 years buried her face in the clothes of the elementary school teacher and hid from the boy._

_The girl pressed her father's hand and waited. Everything around them confused her. It was bright and empty. The corridor with the many doors and rooms were white. Several women walked past the adult and the girl. They pressed a clipboard to their chest, dressed in pink, blue, sometimes in white coats. A young woman stopped in front of them, put on a friendly smile. She congratulated and said something about a boy. The girl saw her father relaxing and rise. The man leaned over to her and told her that her brother was there. The girl was beaming with joy and jumped to her feet. 8 years she was and got a second baby brother._

_She quickly typed a message on her cell phone and sent it to her best friend. Her mother called for the 14 year old girls. Annoyed, she got up and trotted down the stairs. Her two brothers were sitting at the dining table and pushed their eggs and bacon in their mouth. Her mother made coffee and put a plate loaded with food in front of them. The girl laughed loudly as her father lovingly poked her in the side. Hungry she bit into the food and devoured everything within moments. Her father began to make jokes and they all laughed merrily, though his jokes were hardly funny. The girl's eyes were watering with laughter and she blushed. Her little six year old brother threw a piece of bread to her and it smacked the girl in the face. Again all of them began to laugh._

_A few days ago the girl turned 17, almost grown up. Everyone had been happy and content, as it should be for a perfect family. Now she anxiously sat on the couch in the living room, her 9 year old brother to her feet, and her 15-year-old brother beside her. The TV showed a movie that the three didn't even notice. The siblings were all quiet, no one said a word. The youth kept the house phone in her hand, expecting a call every moment now. For some reason, she had a bad feeling. Where were her parents? They had never been late without a notice, especially not so many hours. The clock ticked and ticked on and on. The girl looked up. It was already 1 o'clock in the morning. Where were they? Suddenly the door bell rang and the girl jumped to her feet startled. The phone slipped from her hand and hit the ground. Relieved, she went to the door and pulled it open to hug her parents, and bombard them with questions of their delay. Her brothers were on her heels. Her heart skipped a beat and she gasped for air. Not their parents stood in front of the door, but the police. Two guards stood in the dark. The police asked for admission, and trembling the girl let them enter. She led them to the living room and sat down on the couch. The oldest sister sent the younger away, but of course the guys didn't obey. The men looked at each other a little sad and told of their parents, who had been in an accident. Both died at the scene. The girl stared straight ahead. She heard and saw nothing. She only felt her heart racing and the sound of her blood. Far away she heard the crying of her little brother. The sudden embrace of the child woke her out of her trance, and she burst into tears._

_Previously numbed by adrenaline pain came back and beat her out of her thoughts. All her life, her childhood had gone on again before her eyes. The beautiful and the terrible memories. The girl could hardly breathe and she choked on her own blood. She turned to the side with pain so as not to suffocate. The injured choked and spat and the floor in front of her mouth turned red. Trembling, she put a hand on her stomach and held it up to her eyes afterwards. The hand was covered with blood, as if she had put her hand in a bucket of paint. The girl's hair stuck together and were disgustingly filthy with dust and dried blood. The youth saw a body lying on the ground. She gasped and dragged herself to the child's body. Suddenly she was grabbed by the feet and pulled back. The girl was brutally turned to her back and one of her broken ribs pierced deep into their lungs. She screamed and the figure above hit her with a large stone. The girls vision turned black and life slowly left her._


	2. Chapter 2

The solid slamming of the car door echoed through the whole carpark. The young man sprinted. He was too late. Not a good start to a new job. The man hoped it would not cause any problems.  
Slightly out of breath he reached the desk and lined up in the queue. He had to wait for quite a long time, until a woman behind the counter recognized the young man and her face brightened.  
" Mr. Schmidt! There you are, I thought you would not show up today.'', The woman said, causing the young man to blushe.  
"Sorry for my delay, but there were a few problems with my car and it was really as fast as I could come.'', he said somewhat embarrassed, but she just waved it off.  
" Forget it, Mr. Schmidt.'' , the employee said, leading him to a new staff room.  
"Please Mrs. Klein, call me Max'', the young man called Max said with a slight smile.  
'' Of course", the woman nodded. Max looked around with interest at a corner and discovered the logo of his job. Santa Maria Department of Psychiatry. The two arrived at the room, and Mrs. Klein handed the boy his work clothes.  
" We do not want to spend a long time here, right? Let's get started.'', the middle-aged woman said with an encouraging smile.  
" As you know Max, at the moment we have a lack of staff at the hospital, as many seem to have been wrong with the career direction, if you know what I mean. Nursing mentally unstable people is not easy. Therefore, your request for a job came just right. You will supervise three people who I will introduce to you right away.'' The nurse said and Max just listened attentively.  
"Let us go then.'' She announced, and led him to the rooms in the right wing of the hospital.

Fast the door was closed by Mrs. Klein. Max stared at the firmly closed door, still shocked.  
"He is not an easy patient, but he's not always like that. You have met him at the wrong time.'', the woman said soothing and Max swallowed hard.  
"Come with me. The next you will need to supervise is still very young. She recently turned 18 and is called Marie Brennen. The girl's parents got killed in a car accident. Marie and her two brothers were sent to a castle, where their uncle lived. There, the girl has suffered depression and had a collapse. She constantly talks about some monster, murmuring the name of her uncle. The funny thing, however, is that the girl apart from her hallucinations seems very normal. In our other cases, this is not the case. Please note that the poor girl is terrified of the dark. The light should not go out under any circumstances.'', the woman explained.  
They reached a door at the very end of the corridor. Mrs Klein opened it and entered.  
Indeed a young woman sat on a chair by the window and looked down into the blooming garden. The clinic was really nice and reassuring, apart from the really severe cases.  
"Good morning Marie. Did you sleep good?'' , Mrs. Klein asked and folded the unmade bed sheet. The girl appeared to be ignored her words.  
"Why is the wardrobe so torn up and why are your clothes on the floor?'', she asked puzzled.  
" So I can hide when they come.'', the girl replied in a low brittle voice.  
" When who comes?'', she asked uncertainly. Max looked around a little worried.  
"His vile servants.'', The girl spat out. The nurse glanced at Max, as if to say, see I told you so. "How about you greet Mr. Schmidt Marie? He will keep you company from now on.'', the nurse said. The girl slowly turned to Max and stared him straight in the eye. Her intense gaze gave him a uncomfortable feeling. After what felt like eternity, she turned away and stared into the setting sun.  
"Hello Mr. Schmidt.'' She suddenly said, and a small smile spread across his face.  
,, But please, call me Max'', he said, the young man left the room.

Max was on his way to his third patient. The others he had already supplied, the only one missing now was Marie. His first week at the clinic had run fairly smoothly and slowly he got used to the strenuous work.  
He quietly knocked on Marie's door and entered. As always, she was sitting by the window and waited, for what he didn't know. With a few quick movements, he made her bed and grabbed a chair. With a slight squeak, he pushed the chair next to Marie and sat down beside her.  
"He will come get me.'', she whispered, looking into the distance with her leaf green eyes.  
"Who will get you Marie?'', Max asked softly and Marie slowly turned to him. Their eyes met, and he could see it in her eyes, Marie trusted him.  
"Alexander.'',she hissed with hatred.  
"What did he do?'' He asked. What could have made her uncle called Alexander so bad?  
"Shall I tell you a story?'' She asked Max to his astonishment.  
"Yes.'' He answered hesitantly. Why did she change the subject now?  
"All right. But listen carefully. There was a girl once...''


	3. Chapter 3

There was a girl once. She was almost grown up. This girl had two younger siblings. One was 9, the other 15, both boys and one crazier than the other. But she loved her siblings despite all this, after all they were her flesh and blood. The girl loved the guys almost more than herself.  
They were a happy family, everyone got along, everyone was happy. Her parents were loving and just wonderful. But there was one thing that the girl could never forgive her parents, and never would. They left the girl. They died too soon, much too soon.  
One evening her parents went to a restaurant for their wedding anniversary, the girl should look after the boys. The three children waited anxiously all night, worried about the parents, but no one came, no phone call, nothing.  
Then the doorbell rang. The girl jumped to her feet, ran to the door.  
Two policemen stood in front of her. They apologized, gave their condolences and then disappeared. Her parents died in a car accident. Both. Because of a broken neck.  
That same evening, police officers, psychologists, and even more strangers gathered at the family home.  
She was in a trance. She listened, and she saw, but still it was as though she was in a deep sleep. Her inner numbness suppressed the pain, but only for the time being, because she knew if the pain came, it would hurt double.  
Suddenly a hand grabbed her shoulder and pulled her to her feet.  
It was the closest friend of her mother, yet she could not remember her name in this deafness.  
"Come. You three come with us. "the woman with the blond hair said and pulled her into a black car, where the siblings of the girl already sat in. She had not noticed their absence.  
She quickly got into the car. Just get away, she thought. Silent she stared out the window, while the little boy next to her sobbed and cried. As much as she wanted to comfort him, she could not. She could not make herself do it. After a while she heard the whisper of the other boy, who apparently tried to calm the 8 year old. But even that eventually stopped and she felt a slight pressure on her lap.  
Slowly, she looked down and saw the little head of her brother in the darkness. She gently stroked through his dark hair and laid her cheek against the cold glass and a single tear left her eye.  
After what felt like eternity, the man parked and the engine turned off. The door opened and she stepped into the cold night. The man reached into the car and pulled the sleeping boy into his arms.  
Silently they walked into the house. Each was given a separate room. Everyone went into his, the doors closed, the house was bathed in black.  
But the girl lay awake in her bed, staring at the wall above her. Slowly but surely, the numbness faded, and again she met the hard truth. Her parents were dead, she and her brothers were on their own now. What would happen with them now? Children's Home? No! She was 17 years, only a few months, then she would be of legal age, then she would be able to take custody of her brothers, but until then it was a while.  
Desperate, she went through her hair. Could she even take care of himself, let alone anyone else?  
Suddenly there was a knock at the door.  
"Yes", the girl herself was amazed about her voice. She sounded sad and shaky. Her throat tied up and she swallowed.  
The door slowly opened, and the 15 year old entered the room with red eyes.  
"Did I wake you?", he asked, sniffing.  
"No. I can't sleep. ", she said, forcing a smile.  
"I can't either. Can I sit down? ", he asked, pointing to the bed.  
"Of course." , she allowed, and moved a little to the side to make room for the boy.  
"How are you?" , he wanted to know after a long silence.  
"What do you think? I feel terrible. Do you feel good or what? "  
"Of course not. Do you think I'll jump into the air with joy now or what? ", he snapped at her and narrowed his eyes.  
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. It's just, you know, it was a tough night. "  
"I know. Sorry, but I'm just so confused. I can't believe that they are just gone. What shall we do now? "  
"Honestly, I have no idea. I am not yet an adult, but in a few months I'll take custody of you guys and we can start a new live. But until then, we have to think of something else. ", she said, and the boy nodded in understanding.  
"Why did they have to go to another city? Could they not stay here? Go to a restaurant nearby? Then they would still be alive and we would not be on our own, ", he said angrily, clenching his fists.  
Calming she put her hand on his shoulder.  
"Do not blame them for something in which they have nothing to say. Do you think they died willingly? I do not think they had a choice. It's no use to say things in your anger that you regret later. Remember the happy times we have spent with them. ", she advised.  
After another silence, he began to laugh. Not a forced, not sad, but just a sincere laugh.  
"Why are you laughing?"  
"Do you remember when we all went together to Hamburg?"  
"Mmm?"  
"Do you not remember? At the zoo dad was so fascinated by the seals that he had queue- jumped to the first row. I can still remember how Mum rolled her eyes annoyed and soon after, one of the seals swam so close to dad, that it splashed and all the water landed on him soaking him. Then he came back to us and he was just dripping wet. ",the boy said and laughed again. She remembered and smiled.  
"Yes I remember. That was so funny and Mum's face was indescribable. "she giggled.  
"Dad is really never going to enrage Mum again." He muttered.  
"No, never again. But at least we had absolutely wonderful time with them. "She comforted.  
"I miss them already."  
"Me too."  
The boy hugged her and began to cry softly. She bit her lips, but she could not hold back a sob. She started crying and the tears ran down her cheek. She rested her head on his shoulder and put her arms around his back as he buried his face in her hair.

Marie paused and looked out the window again. Max watched her and scratched his chin.  
"Who was the girl?" He asked, but Marie was silent.  
"You're the girl right?" She turned to him and he saw tears in her eyes.  
"Yes."  
"I'm sorry." He muttered.  
"For what?"  
"I understand how you must have felt. My father also died when I was 14. "  
"Thank you."  
Max looked at his watch shocked. It was already 19 o'clock. He had promised his girlfriend to meet up with her at half past seven. He would not make it.  
"Marie, I have to go now. I'll be back tomorrow. "He said, jumping to his feet.  
She nodded and stared out the window again.


End file.
